May 23, 2012

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) uses “Waffle House Index” to determine storm severity


According to the Wall Street Journal, FEMA uses the Waffle House’s menu to determine the severity of a storm.

“Green means the restaurant is serving a full menu, which means the damage is limited and the lights are on. Yellow means a limited menu, which means the power is coming from a generator at best and food supplies are low. Red means the restaurant is closed, which is a sign of severe damage and unsafe conditions.”

Waffle House Inc. has 1,600 restaurants from the mid-Atlantic to Florida and across the Gulf Coast, which are areas that are particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. The company has developed a manual for opening after a disaster (including what to serve if there is gas but no electricity, or a generator but no ice), bought portable generators and a mobile command center, and given employees emergency contact information.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904716604576542460736605364.html